1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of dollies and is particularly directed towards a dolly for maneuvering a joist or truss with respect to a supporting structural beam member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dollies of limitless size, shape and description have been contemplated which usually are specifically adapted for accomplishing a given task with considerably less effort. However, applicant is unaware of any prior dolly which is either specifically directed towards conveying a joist or truss to and fro along a steel structural beam member or in any way suggests adapting prior dollies for this express purpose.
In the construction art open web steel joists or trusses are often installed to support floor structure or ceiling structure. These joists are usually very heavy and difficult to handle. In fact, a common practice for placing the steel joists is to utilize a portable crane for swinging them into place. Obviously, this practice is very costly in both equipment and manpower. A second approach to the problem, which is intended to reduce the cost considerably, is to utilize other lifting devices, e.g., a forklift or the like, to initially rest the remote ends of the joist on a pair of the steel structural beam members. This latter technique requires workmen to position themselves upon the beam member and physically lift and carry the joists to the optimum position. Obviously, this latter practice is most fatiguing and often results in injury to the workmen. More specifically, workmen occasionally lose their balance and fall from the beam member or more frequently experience back injury from lifting the heavy trusses. Moreover, since this latter technique is time-consuming the advantages thereof are often counteracted by the exorbitant cost of labor.